The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
A thermoelectric module is a relatively small solid state device that can operate as a heat pump or as an electrical power generator. When a thermoelectric module is used to generate electricity, the thermoelectric module may also be referred to as a thermoelectric generator (TEG). When a thermoelectric module is used as a heat pump, the thermoelectric module utilizes the Peltier effect to move heat and may then be referred to as a thermoelectric cooler (TEC).
By way of general background, the Peltier effect refers to the temperature change that occurs when electrical current passes through the junction of two different types of conductors. Bismuth telluride may be used as the semiconductor material, heavily doped to create either an excess (n-type) or a deficiency (p-type) of electrons. Stated simply, a TEC includes a number of p-type and n-type pairs (couples) connected electrically in series and sandwiched between two ceramic plates. When connected to a direct current power source, electrical current causes heat to move from one side of the TEC to the other. Naturally, this creates a hot side and a cold side for the TEC. A typical application exposes the cold side of the TEC to the object or substance to be cooled.